as in smacking
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
clouted the nail with the hammer and drove it all the way into the wood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for clouting
Verb
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And the good vibes of those wins quickly dissolved with Toronto smacking them around in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026 -
Malika was now smacking the rug in rhythm.—
Joan Silber,
New Yorker,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Bulls shot 33 free throws — hitting 27 — compared to 15 attempts at the line for the Wolves.—
Tom Carothers,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
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Severe cold temperatures hitting much of the country this week could branch out − literally.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mimicking what happened seven years earlier after the Dallas playoff win in Charlotte, the players ran back outside and took a lap around the stadium, slapping hands with delirious home fans.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Jan. 2026
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That means not just the sound of rubber slapping the pavement or the whir of electric motors—the soundtrack of a Formula E race—but something new and artificial or, more generously, bespoke.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Guido followed him around like a puppy, from the very first day, always knocking on his door.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Video footage from the protest showed officers swinging batons and knocking demonstrators to the ground.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Braddy charged at Maycock, slamming her to the floor and choking her.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2026
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But since then, Cassidy has broken with the HHS secretary on multiple occasions, including calling for the postponement of key vaccine advisory panel meetings and slamming a change to the hepatitis B vaccine schedule for infants.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Over the course of the novel, each Flynn girl is suspended from school at least once for some screwball infraction, including spreading conspiratorial theories about covert surveillance operations in town, punching another kid in the face, and preparing to commit an act of domestic terrorism.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
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Violence has become an increasing concern, with reports of patients punching and kicking nurses; in November, a gunman threatened to shoot up the Mount Sinai emergency department.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The float at the front of the line featured Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy with Mickey waving the flag, Goofy banging a drum, and Donald on flute, a giant eagle looming over them from behind.—
Peter Larsen,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
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On Friday, Cuban independent journalist José Gabriel Barrenechea Chávez was sentenced to six years in prison for participating in a peaceful protest banging pots during a blackout in Villa Clara, a province in central Cuba.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The reptile reacts to being picked up by flicking its meaty tail back and forth, whacking a few of the deputies.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
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The robot showcased exemplary skills with the bat, whacking the ball precisely in a rally of over 100 shots with human-like agility.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Clouting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/clouting. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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